Containerized hand puppet embodying multiple toy figures

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a containerized hand manipulated puppet. An embodiment of the invention discloses about an egg like hand manipulated puppet that includes an outer shell body with a top shell, and a bottom shell, wherein the top shell and the bottom shell are detachably joined together mouth to mouth forming a hollow cavity, an opening formed in the shell body at a predefined position, one or more toy figures embodied inside the cavity, wherein the toy figures includes a head portion, and a glove like body portion with an interior opening through which a hand is insertable via the opening to insert the fingers into the head portion and manipulate movement of the toy figures from a concealed position within the cavity to an extended position above the cavity by raising said top shell, and an extended position above the cavity to a concealed position within the cavity by lowering the top shell.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hand puppet generally used by a puppeteer during puppet shows for amusement of children. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a hand controlled containerized hand puppet that is used to selectively manipulate movement of one or more toy figures embodied therein from a concealed position in which the toy figure is completely concealed within the interior of the container to an extended position above the container and vice versa.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENION

Conventionally, various different types of puppets have been made and moved by puppeteer, usually by means of a rod as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,763,591 granted to Fontana et al or by hand from below as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,670 granted to Williams et al. Further conventionally known jack-in-the-box type puppet toys are characterized by the use of springs.

Hatching egg type toys have been proposed in the past where an egg shell comprised of several sections that are joined together and those sections generally get separated to reveal a toy figure from within the shell. Similarly, in the past some hatching egg type toys were proposed that were activated by water, which entered the egg shell, causing a compressed form animal type figure within the egg to expand, breaking through weakened fault lines of the egg shell.

Thus puppets have heretofore been developed and moved in the past for amusement of children. However, none of the patents disclose or suggest the present invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an egg like or similar type of containerized hand puppet housing one or more toy figures inside the cavity and wherein the hand manipulation moves the toy figure (animal like, bird like or humanoid like) from a concealed position within the interior of the container to an extended position.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, easy to construct, and fun to use hand manipulated puppet.

Further object of the present invention is to provide a hand puppet that can enhance amusement for children during a puppet show through effective hand control of the toy figures inside the container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple hand puppet not liable to get out of order and can be easily manipulated by the puppeteer to simulate erection of the toy figure from the container (egg like or similar) and concealing of the toy figure back into the container.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a hand puppet that would also simulate hatching of egg when the toy figures inside the egg or the like container are manipulated to emerge out of the container.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an egg like hand manipulated puppet includes an outer shell body, the shell body including a top shell, and a bottom shell, wherein the top shell and the bottom shell are detachably joined together mouth to mouth forming a hollow cavity, at least one opening formed in the shell body at a predefined position, one or more toy figures embodied inside the cavity, wherein each of the toy figures comprising a head portion, and a glove like body portion having an interior opening through which a hand is insertable via the opening to insert the fingers into the head portion and manipulate movement of the one or more toy figures from at least one a concealed position within the cavity to an extended position above the cavity by raising the top shell, and an extended position above the cavity to a concealed position within the cavity by lowering the top shell.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a containerized hand manipulated puppet includes a container having a top portion, and a bottom portion detachably attached together to form a hollow cavity for embodying one or more toy figures, an opening sufficiently larger formed in the container at a predefined position for receiving a hand, the one or more toy figures embodied inside the cavity, wherein each of the toy figures including a head portion, and a glove like body portion having an interior opening through which the hand is insertable via the opening to insert the fingers into the head portion and manipulate movement of the one or more toy figures from a concealed position within the cavity to an extended position above the cavity by raising the top portion, and an extended position above the cavity to a concealed position within the cavity by lowering the top portion.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, an egg like hand manipulated puppet includes an outer shell body, the shell body including a top shell, and a bottom shell, wherein the top shell and the bottom shell are detachably joined together mouth to mouth forming a hollow cavity for embodying one or more toy figures, at least one opening formed in the shell body at a predefined position, a sheet of material configured to substantially form a sleeve wrapped about the opening, the sleeve extending a distance inwardly and upwardly when a user inserts his hand through the interior opening of the sleeve, and wherein the insertion of the hand through the sleeve enables the user to manipulate movement of the one or more toy figures from at least one a concealed position within the cavity to an extended position above the cavity by raising the top shell, and an extended position above the cavity to a concealed position within the cavity by lowering the top shell.

Other advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings herein of a preferred embodiment thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These, together with other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an egg like hand manipulated puppet with one or more toy figures embodied therein in a complete concealed position, according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, with the toy figure extending out of the cavity, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, with the toy figure getting concealed within the cavity, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows an egg like hand manipulated puppet, with the toy figure extending out of the cavity to a fully extended position, in accordance with an another embodiment;

FIG. 5 shows an egg like hand manipulated puppet, with a toy figure slowly getting concealed within the cavity, in accordance with the another embodiment;

FIG. 6 shows a rear elevation view of the egg like hand manipulated puppet with an opening and embodied toy figures, in accordance with the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 7 shows disassembled components of the egg like hand manipulated puppet, in accordance with the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 8 shows a rear elevational view of the egg like hand manipulated puppet with an opening, wherein a sheet of material is configured to substantially form a sleeve that is wrapped about the opening, according to the another embodiment;

FIG. 9 shows disassembled components of the egg like hand manipulated puppet, in accordance with the another embodiment;

FIG. 10 is perspective view of another example embodiment embodying the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is now made more specifically to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-10. There is shown in FIG. 1, an assembled egg like hand manipulated puppet 100 with one or more figure toys (not shown) embodied therein in a complete concealed position, according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The egg like hand manipulated puppet 100 consists of an outer shell body 102. The outer shell body 102 includes a top shell 102 a, and a bottom shell 102 b detachably joined together mouth to mouth 104 to form a hollow cavity for embodying one or more toy figures.

The hand manipulated puppet 100 includes at least one opening formed on rear side of the shell body 102 at a predefined position, preferably at lower surface of the rear side to enable a user/puppeteer to insert his hand 110 through the interior opening 112 while holding the egg like hand puppet 100 on the other.

FIG. 2-FIG. 3 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 in an operation mode, where the user manipulates the puppet 100. As seen, a selected toy figure 106 gradually extends out of the outer shell body 102 to a fully extended position (as seen in FIG. 2).

Turning to the operational method conveyed by the FIG. 2-FIG. 3, as seen, the user inserts his hand 110 via the opening 112 (FIG. 6) provided on the rear side of the shell body 102 and guides his hand 110 through an interior opening in a glove like body portion 106 a of the selected toy figure 106. The user further inserts his fingers into a hand portion 106 b of the toy figure 106 which enables the user to manipulate movement of the toy figure 106 from a concealed position within the cavity to an extended position above the cavity by raising the top shell 102 a (FIG. 2), and also helps the user to manipulate the toy figure 106 in the extended position above the cavity to a concealed position within the cavity by lowering the top shell 102 a (as seen in FIG. 3). The insertion of the fingers into the head portion 106 b of the toy figure 106 also enables the user to manipulate movement of a lower jaw and an upper jaw of the toy figure 106 to provide an illusion as if the toy figure 106 is capable of speaking.

According to the embodiment, the user when inserts his fingers within the head portion and manipulates upward movement forcing the head portion 106 b to raise, the head portion 106 b gets coupled to the top shell 102 a through an attachment mechanism (not shown) configured thereon. The attachment mechanism preferably includes but not limited to a velcro, clips, snaps, buttons, buckles, pins, or the like.

According to the same embodiment, further movement of the hand 110 in the upward direction, forces the top shell 102 a to get separated from the bottom shell 102 b and move upward along the direction of the movement of the head portion 106 b of the toy figure 106 manipulating both a hatching of the egg shell and a movement of the toy figure 106 within the cavity of the body shell 102 from a concealed position to an extended position.

According to the embodiment, the one or more toy figure 106 embodied inside the cavity could preferably be but not limited to an animal like, a bird like or a humanoid like figure. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that one or more figures embodied inside the shell body 102 could be similar with varying get-ups, for example, there may be embodied two or more dinosaur toy figure heads with one being dressed in a fanciful style say with colorful hair, Goggle etc, and other one may be simply dressed with no make-up etc.

Turning to the operational method conveyed by the FIG. 4-5, according to another embodiment. As seen, the user inserts his hand 110 through the interior opening of a sleeve 116 from the opening 112 provided on the rear side of the shell body 102. The sleeve 116 is formed by a sheet of a material 118 preferably but not limited to a soft cloth, a polymeric material, a combination thereof, or a similar material recognized by a person skilled in the art. The sleeve is generally wrapped about the opening 112 provided on the rear side of the shell body 102 that conceals the opening 112 (as best shown in FIG. 8). The sleeve so formed is capable of extending to a distance inwardly and upwardly when the user inserts and moves his hand 110 through the interior opening of the sleeve 116. The user slowly forces his hand 110 inside the sleeve 116 to reach to a toy figure's head 106 b embodied inside the cavity.

Then the user inserts his fingers into a hollow cavity of the toy figure's head 106 b and manipulates upward movement forcing the head 106 b of the toy figure to get coupled to the top shell 102 a through an attachment mechanism (not shown) configured thereon. The preferable attachment mechanism that can be employed includes but not limited to a velcro, clips, snaps, buttons, buckles, pins, or the like.

As discussed above further movement of the hand, forces the top shell 102 a to get separated from the bottom shell 102 b and move upward along the direction of the movement of the head 106 b of the toy figure 106 simulating both hatching of the egg shell and movement of the toy figure 106 from a concealed position to an extended position (as seen in FIG. 4). Similarly, the user is also enabled to manipulate the toy figure's head 106 b above the cavity in the extended position to a concealed position within the cavity by lowering the top shell 102 a (as seen in FIG. 5).

Further, downward and outward movement of the hand 110 helps the user to remove his hand 110 out of the interior opening of the sleeve 116 and manipulate downward movement of the toy figure's head 106 b to simulate the toy figure 106 getting concealed inside the shell body 102.

Also it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the one or more toy figures 106 embodied inside the cavity could preferably be one from a group consisting of an animal like, a bird like or a humanoid like figure. It should also be understood that the one or more figures embodied inside the shell body 102 could be similar figures with varying get-ups, for example, there may be a dinosaur toy figure head dressed in a fanciful style say with colorful hair, Goggle etc, and a similar dinosaur toy figure simply dressed with no make-up etc.

FIG. 6 shows a rear elevation view of the egg like hand manipulated puppet with an opening 112, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the top shell 102 a and the bottom shell 102 b of the outer shell body 102 are detachably joined together to form a hollow cavity that houses two toy figures 106. As seen the cavity can optionally have a separation member 114 to form two separate compartments for housing a toy figure in each of the compartments. The toy figures as discussed above comprise a head portion 106 b and a glove like body portion 106 a (as seen in FIG. 7) with an interior opening to allow the hand 110 be inserted through it. Further, the both figures 106 could be similar referring to same character with different get-ups for enabling the user to create an illusion of a particular figure extending out of the cavity with a get-up and then going inside, and again extending out with different get-up. Similarly, the embodied toy figures 106 can be two different characters altogether wherein the user's hand 110 control creates an illusion of one character extending out of the cavity and then going inside, and again different character extending out of the cavity.

FIG. 8 shows a rear elevation view of the egg like hand manipulated puppet with an opening, wherein a sheet of material is configured to substantially form a sleeve that is wrapped about the opening, according to the another embodiment of the present invention. As discussed above, the user inserts hand 110 through the opening 112 on the rear side of the body shell, and then guides the hand 110 through the interior opening of the sleeve 116 inwardly and upwardly to raise the top shell 102 a of the egg like shell body 102. FIG. 9 shows disassembled components of the egg like hand manipulated puppet of FIG. 8 showing components like outer shell body 102 of the egg like container 100, a sheet of material 118 that generally form a sleeve 116 that is wrapped about the opening 112, one or more toy figure heads 106 preferably embodied inside the cavity formed by the top shell 102 a and the bottom shell 102 b. As seen, according to this embodiment, the toy figures 106 only include a head portion 106 b and no glove like body portion 106 a as described in the preferred embodiment of the present invention and shown in FIG. 6-FIG. 7. In contrast, the glove like body portion 106 a in this embodiment is supplemented by the sleeve 116 formation as described in detail above with reference to FIGS. 4-5.

The embodiments are though explained with reference to an egg like container, it should be understood that the present invention can be implemented using a box-like container (as seen in FIG. 10) formed of a top portion 102 a and a bottom portion 102 b with the opening 112 on the rear side wall through which user can insert his hand 110 and guide the hand 110 through the interior opening of the glove like body portion 106 a of the toy figure 106 and insert the fingers inside the head portion 160 b of the toy figure 106 to manipulate the movement of the toy figure 106 from a concealed position within the cavity to an extended position above the cavity by raising the top portion 102 a and from the extended position above the cavity to a concealed position within the cavity by lowering the top portion 102 a as described with respect to egg like container in FIG. 2-FIG. 3.

Further, the embodiment described above with respect to FIGS. 4-5 can also be implemented using a box-like container instead of the egg like container. It should be understood that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the use of container. It should be understood that a gift box, a trash can, a tree trunk or any other shaped container can be used for implementation of this proposed invention.

Further it has to be understood that the interior opening 112 on the rear side of the container that receives the hand 110 of the user is to be kept sufficiently large such as to allow the user to conveniently insert and pull back his hand in and out of the container.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof, these embodiments are merely illustrative, and not restrictive, of the present invention. Various modifications or changes to the disclosed example embodiments will be suggested to person skilled in the art. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An egg like hand manipulated puppet, comprising: an outer shell body, said shell body comprising a top shell, and a bottom shell, wherein said top shell and said bottom shell are detachably joined together mouth to mouth forming a hollow cavity; at least one opening formed in said shell body at a predefined position; one or more toy figures embodied inside said cavity, wherein each of said toy figures comprising a head portion, and a glove like body portion having an interior opening through which a hand is insertable via said opening to insert the fingers into said head portion and manipulate movement of said one or more toy figures from at least one a concealed position within the cavity to an extended position above said cavity by raising said top shell, and an extended position above said cavity to a concealed position within the cavity by lowering said top shell.
 2. The puppet of claim 1, wherein said insertion of fingers into said head portion enables a user to manipulate movement of a lower jaw and an upper jaw present therein.
 3. The puppet of claim 1, wherein said one or more toy figures are arranged to extend out or in from and inside said cavity, generally vertically.
 4. The puppet of claim 1, wherein said top shell comprising an attachment mechanism configured to couple said top shell with said head portion when said toy figure is manipulated to move from a concealed position within said cavity to an extended position above said cavity.
 5. The puppet of claim 4, wherein said coupling between said top shell and said head portion is decoupled when said toy figure is manipulated to move from an extended position above said cavity to a concealed position within said cavity.
 6. The puppet of claim 4, wherein said attachment mechanism is selected from the group consisting of: Velcro, clips, snaps, buttons, buckles, and pins.
 7. The puppet of claim 1, wherein said hand manipulation enables the user to selectively switch between said one or more toy figures embodied inside said cavity.
 8. A containerized hand manipulated puppet, comprising: a container having a top portion, and a bottom portion detachably attached together to form a hollow cavity for embodying one or more toy figures; at least one opening sufficiently larger formed in said container at a predefined position for receiving a hand; said one or more toy figures embodied inside said cavity, wherein each of said toy figures comprising a head portion, and a glove like body portion having an interior opening through which said hand is insertable via said opening to insert the fingers into said head portion and manipulate movement of said one or more toy figures from at least one a concealed position within the cavity to an extended position above said cavity by raising the top portion, and an extended position above said cavity to a concealed position within the cavity by lowering the top portion.
 9. The puppet of claim 8, wherein said insertion of fingers into said head portion of the toy figure enables the user to manipulate movement of a lower jaw and an upper jaw present therein.
 10. The puppet of claim 8, wherein said one or more toy figures are arranged to extend out or in from and inside said cavity, generally vertically.
 11. The puppet of claim 8, wherein said top portion comprising an attachment mechanism configured to couple said top portion with said head portion when said toy figure is manipulated to move from a concealed position within said cavity to an extended position above said cavity.
 12. The puppet of claim 11, wherein said coupling between said top portion and said head portion is decoupled when said toy figure is manipulated to move from an extended position above said cavity to a concealed position within said cavity.
 13. The puppet of claim 11, wherein said attachment mechanism is selected from the group consisting of: velcro, clips, snaps, buttons, buckles, and pins.
 14. An egg like hand manipulated puppet, comprising: an outer shell body, said shell body comprising a top shell, and a bottom shell, wherein said top shell and said bottom shell are detachably joined together mouth to mouth forming a hollow cavity for embodying one or more toy figures; at least one opening formed in said shell body at a predefined position; a sheet of material, said sheet of material configured to substantially form a sleeve wrapped about said opening, said sleeve extending a distance inwardly and upwardly when a user inserts his hand through the interior opening of said sleeve; and Wherein said insertion of the hand through said sleeve enables said user to manipulate movement of said one or more toy figures from at least one a concealed position within the cavity to an extended position above said cavity by raising the top shell, and an extended position above said cavity to a concealed position within the cavity by lowering the top shell.
 15. The puppet of claim 14, wherein the sheet of material is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of a soft cloth, polymeric material, or a combination.
 16. The puppet of claim 14, wherein said top shell comprising an attachment mechanism configured to couple said top shell with said toy figure's head when said toy figure is manipulated to move from a concealed position within said cavity to an extended position above said cavity.
 17. The puppet of claim 16, wherein said coupling between said top shell and said toy figure's head is decoupled when said toy figure is manipulated to move from an extended position above said cavity to a concealed position within said cavity.
 18. The puppet of claim 16, wherein said attachment mechanism is selected from the group consisting of: a velcro, clips, snaps, buttons, buckles, and pins.
 19. The puppet of claim 14, wherein said hand manipulation enables the user to selectively switch between said one or more toy figures embodied inside the said cavity. 